“The story of this movie – and it came to us originally as a spec that was very different in a lot of ways and an unrelated thing altogether – is definitely about different kinds of monsters,” producer J.J. Abrams told Fandango about the upcoming “10 Cloverfield Lane,” and that’s an important thing to remember. The picture, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., and John Goodman as a trio holed up in an underground bunker while an unknown terror plagues the outside world, started filming as “Valencia,” but according to Paramount, it was during production that the decision was made to make it a “blood relative” of “Cloverfield.” And that’s why Abrams is very careful in explaining what “10 Cloverfield Lane” is….and isn’t.

“This movie is very purposefully not called ‘Cloverfield 2, because it’s not Cloverfield 2,’ ” Abrams said, however, “…the association is clear and there are multiple connections – and there is a bigger idea at play for us with these movies and this connection.”

You might think the simple answer to the riddle of the movie is that is takes place during the events of “Cloverfield,” but even there, you would be wrong. “…it doesn’t, but there’s a larger thing at play with these connections,” Abrams said of the Dan Trachtenberg directed movie. “And the fun of it is that some of these connections – and there’s a lot of them – are not the kind of connections you might think. So if you’re approaching it as a literal sequel, you’ll be surprised to see what this movie is. But while it’s not what you might expect from a movie that has the name ‘Cloverfield’ in it, I think you’ll find that you’ll understand the connection when you see the whole thing.”

“And while the ‘Cloverfield’ monster isn’t in this movie, there’s a new monster and there’s something else that happens…. but I don’t want to ruin the ending,” Abrams added, teasing in a manner that confirms he really knows how to sell a mystery box.

As for future sequels or side-quels, Abrams is again playing his cards close to the chest. “…I would be lying if I didn’t say there was something else that, if we’re lucky enough to do it, could be really cool that connects some stories,” he told EW.

Hinting that there’s “larger conceit,” the producer added, “This is just this movie, and it’s only two films that we’re talking about right now. There is something else that we’d like to do, and hopefully we’ll get a shot.”